Music, MM
Vision Statement
The Master of Music degree at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is divided into four concentrations: music education, music performance, jazz and conducting. The music performance and jazz concentrations are 30 hour programs that emphasize performance and applied music. Courses dealing with history, theory, and pedagogy are included, and opportunities for internships and performances in local professional organizations such as Opera Omaha, Omaha Performing Arts, North Omaha Music and Arts and the Omaha Symphony are enjoyed by students at UNO. The music education concentration is a 30 hour program with courses that emphasize pedagogy, practical application of music skills, and research for teachers at all levels. The class times and offerings are scheduled with the current practitioner in mind and include the option to complete the coursework online or during summer sessions. The conducting concentration is a 30 hour program that emphasizes individualized instruction in conducting and maximizes experiences in front of an ensemble. Courses in music history, literature, and theory supplement the practical experience to help produce well-rounded graduates with considerable knowledge of techniques and literature. The conducting concentration is available through in-person instruction, online/remote instruction, or hybrid instruction. In order to pursue the online/remote delivery option students must have an off-campus lab ensemble approved by graduate conducting faculty as part of the audition process.
Program Contact Information
Pete Madsen, DMA, Graduate Program Chair (GPC)
402.554.2297
petermadsen@unomaha.edu
Program Website
Admissions
General Application Requirements and Admission Criteria
Program-Specific Requirements
Application Deadlines (Spring 2025, Summer 2025, and Fall 2025)
- Fall: June 15
- Spring: November 15
- Summer: April 15
Other Requirements
- Applicants must have an undergraduate degree in music from an accredited institution and have an undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 or a GPA of 3.0 or better in all music courses.
- English Language Proficiency: Applicants are required to have a command of oral and written English. Those who do not hold a baccalaureate or other advanced degree from the United States, OR a baccalaureate or other advanced degree from a predetermined country on the waiver list, must meet the minimum language proficiency score requirement in order to be considered for admission.
- Internet-based TOEFL: 80, IELTS: 6.5, PTE: 53, Duolingo: 110
- Resume
- If the applicant does not have an undergraduate degree in music, the applicant must take the School of Music Graduate Diagnostic Exam before enrolling in any graduate courses in order to determine which undergraduate foundation courses may be necessary.
- An audition for a panel of three graduate faculty members is required for all applicants wishing to pursue the performance, jazz or conducting concentration.
- Conducting students wishing to pursue the online delivery option must have an off-campus lab ensemble approved by graduate conducting faculty as part of the audition process.
Concentrations
Conducting Concentration
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Concentration Courses | ||
| MUS 8630 | RESEARCH AND BIBLIOGRAPHY IN MUSIC | 3 |
| MUS 8700 | CONDUCTING PRACTICUM (12 hours required) | 12 |
| MUS 8460 | MUSIC ANALYSIS | 3 |
| Music History and Literature | ||
| Select 3 hours from the following: | 3 | |
| RENAISSANCE MUSIC LITERATURE | ||
| BAROQUE MUSIC LITERATURE | ||
| CLASSICAL MUSIC LITERATURE | ||
| ROMANTIC MUSIC LITERATURE | ||
| MUSIC FROM 1900 - 1945 | ||
| MUSIC SINCE 1945 | ||
| Electives | ||
| The electives are approved by the graduate advisor during the advising process. Six of the 9 hours must be in music and the remaining 3 hours can be from any academic area. Special note, students pursuing the choral conducting option must complete MUS 8726 as an elective. | 9 | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
Jazz Concentration
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Concentration Courses | ||
| Select 12 hours in MUS 815 Applied Music A-Z | 12 | |
| MUS 8630 | RESEARCH AND BIBLIOGRAPHY IN MUSIC | 3 |
| MUS 8436 | ARRANGING FOR JAZZ ENSEMBLE | 3 |
| MUS 8596 | AFRICAN-AMERICAN POPULAR MUSIC FROM BEBOP TO HIP-HOP | 3 |
| MUS 8160 | PERFORMING ENSEMBLES (Must complete a total of 3 hours of MUS 8160) | 3 |
| Electives in Music | 6 | |
Electives are approved by the graduate advisor during the advising process. | ||
| Total Credits | 30 | |
Music Education Concentration
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Concentration Courses | ||
| MUS 8630 | RESEARCH AND BIBLIOGRAPHY IN MUSIC | 3 |
| MUS 8610 | ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION IN MUSIC | 3 |
| MUS 8640 | FOUNDATIONS OF MUSIC EDUCATION | 3 |
| MUS 8600 | PEDAGOGY OF WORLD MUSIC | 3 |
| MUS 8660 | PEDAGOGY OF MUSIC THEORY | 3 |
| Required Music Theory Course | ||
| MUS 8460 | MUSIC ANALYSIS | 3 |
| Required Music History and Literature Course | ||
| Select 3 hours from the following: | 3 | |
| RENAISSANCE MUSIC LITERATURE | ||
| BAROQUE MUSIC LITERATURE | ||
| CLASSICAL MUSIC LITERATURE | ||
| ROMANTIC MUSIC LITERATURE | ||
| MUSIC FROM 1900 - 1945 | ||
| MUSIC SINCE 1945 | ||
| Electives in Music | 6 | |
| Electives in Music or Education | 3 | |
| All electives must be approved by the graduate advisor during the advising process. | ||
| Total Credits | 30 | |
Music Performance Concentration
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Concentration Courses | ||
| Select 12 hours in MUS 815 A-Z | 12 | |
| MUS 8630 | RESEARCH AND BIBLIOGRAPHY IN MUSIC | 3 |
| MUS 8460 | MUSIC ANALYSIS | 3 |
| MUS 8160 | PERFORMING ENSEMBLES (Must complete a total of 3 hours of MUS 8160) | 3 |
| Required Music History and Literature | ||
| Select 3 hours from the following: | 3 | |
| RENAISSANCE MUSIC LITERATURE | ||
| BAROQUE MUSIC LITERATURE | ||
| CLASSICAL MUSIC LITERATURE | ||
| ROMANTIC MUSIC LITERATURE | ||
| MUSIC FROM 1900 - 1945 | ||
| MUSIC SINCE 1945 | ||
| Electives in Music | ||
| Electives are approved by the graduate advisor during the advising process. | 6 | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
Exit Requirements
All students must take final comprehensive examinations. Students can take comprehensive exams before the semester in which they intend to graduate; however, all required coursework in the program must be completed. The exception is if a student has not completed one required course and is enrolled in that course during the semester in which they are taking the comprehensive exams. Comprehensive exams will be offered three times during the course of the year—Fall, Spring and Summer. Normally the exams are administered on the last Saturday of October or first Saturday in November (Fall Semester), the second or third Saturday in April (Spring Semester), and the last Friday of June or the first Friday of July (Summer Term).
The concentrations identified below have an additional culminating demonstration of professional capability in the concentration field.
- Students completing the Conducting concentration must present and pass two public performances. The graduate program coordinator must approve the public performances which typically consist of a recital or concert.
- Students in Performance and Jazz concentrations must present and pass two public performances or present and pass one public performance and complete MUS 8970 Graduate Project. The graduate program coordinator must approve the public performance(s) which typically consist of a recital or major role in an opera. MUS 8970 can count toward electives.